Protector means for shuttles



March 31, 1964 c;. s. SIMMONS, JR 3,126,921

PROTECTOR MEANS FOR SHUTTLES Filed March 20, 1962 INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofiice 3,126,921 PRDTECTOR MEANS FOR SHUTTLES George S. Simmons, Jr., Worcester, Mass., assignor t Crompton 8: Knowles Corporation, Worcester, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Mar. 20, 1962, Ser. No. 181,090 14 Claims. (Cl. 139-155) This invention relates to so-called box looms in which shuttles are shifted vertically during loom operation preparatory to shuttle flight across the loom, and in particular relates to improvements in shuttle box guides for the boxes that house the shuttles during shifting thereof.

The type of loom referred to above, at least one end thereof, utilizes a vertically shiftable shuttle box having an inner and outer tongue mounted to guidingly slide in an inner and outer shuttle box guide respectively and comprising a multiplicity of shuttle cells to receive shuttles therein, one at a time, which thereafter will be ejected from the cells, also one at a time, from a common picking station during the weaving process to effect said shuttle flight. A shuttle propelling picker is located at the station and operates to propel or pick a shuttle out of a cell at the station subsequent to shifting of the shuttle box.

During boxing of a shuttle, the latter is oftentimes boxed a little more deeply than is normally intended,

thereby stopping at the picking station in a position to:

engage the outer shuttle box guide during shifting of the box to cause malfunction of the loom by reason of box hang-up, as is well known, with subsequent damage to the shuttle and loom parts. This malfunction, in part, has been avoided by making the outer guide with metallic camming surfaces, well-known in the art, and engageable by the points of the shuttles when the box is shifted vertically to effect slight movement of the shuttles inwardly to position the latter to a common desired picking position with respect to the shuttle cells and the picker. However, frequent engagement of the points with the camming surfaces has the disadvantage of creating burrs on the points of the tips as well as causing the formation of a groove in the cam surfaces such that the shuttles do not always reach the desired picking position. Moreover, the burred points often snag and catch the warp threads during shuttle flight, resulting in broken warp threads and undesired loom stoppage. The grooves frequently reach a depth to establish unwanted interference between the picker and the shuttles as they shift vertically whereby the picker is subject to damage which can cause malfunction of the loom. Another disadvantage of the shuttle box guides as previously made and currently in extensive commercial use is that the box guides, because of excessive grooving thereto, must be completely replaced since the cam surfaces are an integral part thereof. Replacement is quite expensive since it requires disassembly of the worn guide and assembly of the new guide to the loom, coupled with the attendant cost of the new guide.

It is therefore an important object of the invention to provide an improved shuttle box guide with removable shuttle engaging protector means, above and below the picking station, to avoid the disadvantages discussed above with particular reference to preventing the formation of burrs on the shuttle points and avoiding the need i for replacing an entire shuttle box guide.

'Another important object of the invention is to avoid formulating grooves in the shuttle box guides by providing the latter with detachable'combined notched shuttle positioner guide and protector means capable of operating to move the shuttle longitudinally inwardly to a common picking position to prevent engagement of the shuttles with the shuttle guides proper while at the same time protecting the shuttle from damage and interference with the picker during shifting of the shuttle box.

Another object of the invention is to make the protector means of a material such as a plastic, for instance, to protect the shuttle against damage when engaged thereby during shifting of a shuttle box.

It is another object of the invention to make each protector means identical and interchangeable and provide each such means with vertically aligned notches formed by a pair of walls which engage conical surfaces of the tips of the shuttle, the relationship being such that the point of the tips will be prevented from contacting the protector means during engagement of shuttles therewith.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a shuttle box guide with vertically disposed recesses, one above and one below the picking station, to detachably receive therein the protector means which are held in said recesses by holding means to permit replacement of the protector means, if need be, obviating the need for replacing the box guide as previously, said protector means being positioned in the recesses in such a manner so as to prevent contact of the shuttles with the shuttle box guide during and subsequent to shifting of the shuttle box.

A further object of the invention is to make the walls of each protector means with converging surfaces to form a V-notch, each wall having a straight part and a diagonal part so that the vertex of the groove formed thereby is of bent configuration, the vertex having a portion substantially parallel and equal to said straight part and also having a portion substantially parallel and equal to said diagonal part, the vertex and notches extending the full length of'the protector means and being vertically aligned with each other.

And yet a further object of the invention is to provide a shuttle box guide with notched rotatable protector means having circumferential notches therein to receive the shuttle tips therein in a manner to prevent contact of the points thereof with the means and the shuttle box guide and also to prevent the formation of burrs on the points during shifting of the shuttle box.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood reference is made to the accompanying drawings which illustarte by way of example two embodiments of the invention and in which:

FIG. 1 is a partial elevational view of the left-hand side of a loom having the invention applied thereto and as viewed from the front of the loom,

FIG. 2 is a detailed elevational view of an improved shuttle box guide looking in the direction of arrow 2, FIG. 1,

FIGS. 3 and 4 are horizontal sections on lines 3-3 and 4-4 respectively in FIG. 2,

FIG. 5 is a vertical section taken on line 55 of 7 FIG. 2.

end of the loom and the breastbeam 2 extends across the loom and is attached to the other loomside. A forwardly and backwardly reciprocating lay 3 is supported on a pair of layswords 4, one at each end of the loom, only one of these being shown in FIG. 1. The layswords are mounted on a rocker shaft 5 journaled in a bearing 6 attached to each loomside. The lay 3 is provided with a Patented Mar. 31, 1964 layend 7 which mounts an inner shuttle box guide 8 and an outer shuttle box guide generally indicated at' 9 fastened to layend 7 as by bolts10. A shuttle box generally designated by the reference character 12 has an inner tongue 13 mounted for vertical sliding movement in a matching groove 14 in the inner box guide 8. The other end 15" of box 12 is provided with an outer tongue 16 for vertical reciprocation in a matched groove 17 in the outer shuttle box guide 9, see particularly FIGS. 3 and 4.

Shuttle box 12 consists of four shuttle cells 18, 19, 20 and 21 which are utilized in well-known manner to receive' shuttles S which are partially shown in FIGS. 3 and 5. Each shuttle cell is provided with the usual shuttle stopping binder, as exemplified by numeral 22 with reference to cell 18, to stop the shuttle in the usual manner when it enters any one of the cells 18-21.

During loom operation, shuttle box 12 is raised and lowered by a chain 26 having one end thereof attached to box lifting mechanism not shown but well-known in the art, and the other end attached as at 27 a box lifting rod 28. A second chain 32 is also operatively connected to the box lifting mechanism and a shuttle box located on the other end of the loom and operates in the same fashion as does chain 26. It is deemed unnecessary to illustrate or describe a shuttle box on the other end of the loom since a multi-cell shuttle box thereat operates and functions in the same manner as does shuttle box 12. It is to be understood also, of course, that the other end of the loom will also have an inner shuttle box guide as well as an outer shuttle box guide similar to that shown in FIG. 1.

Moreover, if the loom operates as a 4 x 1 box loom, the chain 32 may be dispensed with or disconnected from the single cell box on the right-hand side of the loom. Also, the invention is not limited to a box having four cells since the invention is applicable to a box having less or more cells than illustrated herein.

The mechanism and operation thereof so far described is of usual construction and operation and forms no part of the present invention except as associated with the outer box guide.

In carrying the present invention into effect, the outer box guide 9 has a longitudinal plate 34 formed integrally with a vertical bar indicated generally as at 36 in which the groove 17 extends along the entire length, see FIG. 2, to receive the outer tongue 16 to guide the box during vertical reciprocation thereof. Bar 36 has an upper arm 37 and a lower arm 38 integral with plate 34 as seen in FIG. 1, said bar being substantially in a plane as that occupied by plate 64. Arm 37 is made with a transverse web 39 formed with a projection 411 and arm 38 also has a transverse web 42 and a projection 43 formed therewith, see FIGS. 2-5. Projections 40 and 43 are vertically spaced with respect to each other, FIGS. 2 and 5, to define an opening 44- in which the picker 45 is normally located, picker 45 being attached to a picker stick 46 which is actuated by means, well-known but not shown, to cause longitudinal movement of the picker inwardly toward the center of the loom to propel a shuttle across the loom from the shuttle picking station generally designated as at P at the opening 44. Projection 40 has avertical upper recess 47 above said picking station extending inwardly from a face 48 of web 39 and communicating with opening 44. In like manner, a vertical lower recess 49' below said station extends inwardly from a face 50 of web 42 also in communication with opening 44.

Each recess has correspondingly attached therein upper and lower removable notched protector means generally designated by the references 52 and 53 above and below the picking station P respectively, the protector means 52 being the one described, since both means are identical and interchangeable, and it is deemed unnecessary to describe both of them in detail since a description of one of them, namely, 52, will suflice for the other one.

Protector means 52 is vertically spaced from and opposite to protector means 53 and includes a block 54 having a pair of parallel walls 55 and 56, as can readily be seen in FIG. 6, culminating in diagonal parts 57 and 58 also parallel to each other and extending in alignment respectively from walls 55 and 56. Wall 55 has an inwardly converging surface or run 60- which meets a similar inwardly converging surface or run 61 to culminate in a vertex 62 having a straight portion substantially parallel to and equal to the length of straight parts 69-69 of the walls 55 and 56. Surfaces 60 and 61 extend diagonally inward with respect to vertex 62 to extend the latter inwardly to form a diagonal portion 63 thereof substantially parallel and equal to diagonal parts 57 and 58 of walls 55 and 56 respectively. Surfaces 60 and 61, vertex 62 and its portion 63 are so related as to define a V-shaped notch of bent configuration as designated generally by numeral 65 to receive the tips 66 of the shuttle S; The notch has a straight run and a diagonal run to complement the full length of the protector means, see FIGS. 2, 5 and 6. Protector means 52 is provided with apair of holes 67 and 68 to receive fasteners F respectively to removably attach the protector means in the recess 47 in projection 40'. The straight parts 6969' and diagonal parts 57 and 58 form a continuous wall for the full length of the protector means.

As can be seen in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, a retaining plate 72' is held against protector means 52 by the fasteners F to hold the protector means 52 in its recess 47. In like manner, protector means 53 is held in its corresponding recess 49. The fasteners F and plate 72 may be considered as holding means for the protector means to retain the latter in their respective recesses.

As will be noted in FIGS. 2 and 5 the protector means 52 and 53 are vertically spaced with respect to each other, the vertical runs of the notches of both means being in vertical alignment with each other and that the diagonal runs of the notches of the protector means converging toward each other. Protector means 52 is disposed above and in alignment with the lower protector means 53 such that during shifting of the shuttle boxes the shuttles S can readily pass to either of the protector means, depending upon which direction the shuttle box 12 is shifting. Each of the protector means is of general rectilinear shape and is preferably made of a plastic such, for instance, as acetal resin, but the invention is not necessarily limited to the shape disclosed herein or to this type of plastic since it is deemed suflicient to provide protector means having a material incapable of damaging the shuttle tips 66. Each shuttle tip has a conical surface tapering down to a relatively sharp point SP, see particularly FIGS. 3 and 5. It is to be noted in FIG. 5 that the straight portion of vertex 62 of each protector means extends beyond its corresponding face and substantially parallel thereto while the diagonal portion 63 of vertex 62 of each protector means extends from said straight portions toward each face.

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8 which show the modified form of the invention, a shuttle box guide 70, similar in many respects to shuttle box guide 9, is provided with an upper set of rolls 71 and'72 and a lower set of rolls 73 and 74, each set of rolls being rotatably mounted in a recess 75 and 76 respectively formed in shuttle box guide 70. Only one set of rolls will be described since both sets are the same. Rolls 71 and 72 are provided with circumferential V-notches 77 and 78 respectively to receive the tips 66 of the shuttle S in a manner similar to that with respect to protector means 52 and 53. The upper setof rolls is disposed over and spaced from the lower set of rolls, one set of rolls being above and one set below the picking station P, the notches of both sets being in vertical alignment to effect movement of the shuttle away from the faces 79 and 80 to prevent contact of the shuttle points SP therewith, and also with rolls 71 and 72, depending upon which direction the shuttles are being shifted vertically. Rotation of the rolls facilitates movement of the shuttles longitudinally and vertically during shifting thereof. As in the preferred form of the invention, the rolls are made of a material incapable of damaging the shuttles and preferably made of an acetal resin plastic, although this is not a prerequisite of the invention. Each of the rolls rotates on an associated stud 82 removably fixed to shuttle box guide 70 to facilitate replacement of the rolls, if need be, each set of rolls being identical and interchangeable with respect to the other set. It is to be noted that the invention is not limited to a pair of rolls per set and that more or less than a pair of rolls could be utilized per set without departing from the scope of the invention. Also the periphery of the rolls of each set may, although shown separated by way of example, be in contact with each other instead of in separated relationship.

During loom operation the lay will be reciprocated forwardly and rearwardly and during its rearward motion one or another of the shuttles will be picked across the loom in accordance with pattern requirements. When a shuttle is boxed the boxes may shift either vertically upwardly or downwardly to present a shuttle to the picking station P for subsequent picking therefrom. In the event that a shuttle is boxed too deeply, protector means will act to guidingly position the shuttles longitudinally, i.e., toward the center of the loom, away from the faces 48 and 50 to prevent contact therewith and with the protector means and to place the shuttle in a common picking position with respect to the boxes and the picker. This longitudinal movement will occur each time a shuttle is boxed a little more deeply than intended and because the protector means is of a material that cannot damage the shuttle, the formation of burrs on the points of the shuttle tips is avoided. From an inspection of FIGS. 3 and 5, it will be seen that the point SF of each tip 66 does not contact the vertex of notch 65 since the latter is formed in a manner such that surfaces 60 and 61 engage the conical surface of tip 66 to prevent the point SP from engaging the vertex. The protector means may also be considered as a combined shuttle positioner guide and protector means.

From the foregoing it will be seen that simple shuttle box guide means have been provided wherein protector means are so disposed with respect to the guide means to act to prevent damage to the shuttles and to the shuttle box guide associated therewith during and subsequent vertical shifting of the shuttles. Also it will be seen that the protector means are so made and disposed with respect to the picking position and the shuttle box guide that the latter cannot be engaged by the shuttles to be damaged thereby. Also, it will be seen that the V-notches are so related to the shuttle tips that the points thereof do not engage the protector means, thereby rendering the protector means incapable of damaging the shuttle, and as will be noted from an inspection of the drawings, the protector means are identical and interchangeable for easy assembly to the shuttle box guide and also easily removable, by reason of the holding means, for replacement in the event that wearing occurs, and that this replacement obviates the need for replacing the entire shuttle box guide as was the case previously.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, what is claimed is:

1. In a loom operating with a vertically shiftable shuttle box to raise and lower shuttles therein to a shuttle picking station during loom operation, the box being provided with inner and outer tongues, and the shuttles with tips each having a conical surface and a relatively sharp point,

(a) an inner shuttle box guide for the inner tongue of the shuttle box,

(b) an outer shuttle box guide for the outer tongue of the shuttle box and provided with vertically spaced projections each respectively having a recess above and below said picking station,

(0) notched protector means for and engaged by each surface in a manner to prevent engagement of said point with said means and said outer guide and removably attached to said outer shuttle box guide in said recess above said picking station, and

(d) second notched protector means for and engaged by each surface also in a manner to prevent engagement of said point with said means and said outer guide and removably attached to said outer shuttle box guide in said recess below said picking station and vertically spaced from the first protector means,

(e) each of said means being identical and interchangeable with respect to each other.

2. The loom set forth in claim 1 wherein (a) each means has a pair of walls to define therebetween a notch extending the full length of said means,

(b) each wall having a straight part and a diagonal part with respect thereto and aligned therewith to form a continuous wall for said full length.

3. The loom set forth in claim 2 wherein (a) each of said walls is provided with a surface each of which converges with respect to the other surface to form said notch and each of which culminates in a vertex having a straight portion extending substantially parallel and equal to said straight part and also having a diagonal portion extending substantially parallel and equal to said diagonal part.

4. In a loom operating with a vertically shiftable shuttle box guided at its inner and outer ends to raise and lower shuttles having shuttle tips to shuttle picking station during loom operation, each tip having a relatively sharp point,

(a) an inner shuttle box guide for the inner end of the shuttle box,

(b) an outer shuttle box for the outer end of the shuttle box and provided with vertically spaced projections each respectively having a recess above and below said picking station and having a pair of faces from each of which a recess extends into a projection of said outer box guide,

(c) a pair of notched shuttle protector means, one in each recess, removably attached to said outer shuttle box guide, and

(d) holding means to firmly retain each notched means in its respective recess,

(e) said protector means being vertically spaced and opposite each other and each provided with a V- shaped notch to receive tips during shifting of the shuttle box and shuttles therein, the notch of one of said protector means having a straight run aligned in vertical relationship with a similar straight run of the other protector means and also having a diagonal run extending from said straight run in converging relationship with a similar diagonal run of the other protector means to effect movement of the shuttles to one or the other of said straight runs and away from said faces to prevent shuttle point contact therewith and with both protector means "during shifting of the shuttle box either downwardly or upwardly, depending upon which direction the shuttle box is shifting.

5. The loom set forth in claim 4 wherein (a) the holding means includes a retaining plate for each protector means, and

(b) fasteners for and passing through each plate and through each protector means associated therewith into said outer box guide to removably fasten thereto the protector means between each plate and the outer box guide.

6. The loom set forth in claim 4 wherein (a) each of said straight portions is beyond said faces and substantially parallel thereto and each of said diagonal portions extends from said straight portion toward said faces.

7. In a loom operating with a vertically shiftable shuttle box and guide therefor and effective to raise and 7 lower shuttles formed with pointed tips at each end thereof, as well as causing longitudinal shifting of the shuttles in a direction away from said guide by reason of said guide, to place the shuttles,-one at a time, to shuttle picking position, the improvement comprising (a) a pair of blocks ofplastic of general rectilinear shape on and forming part of said guide, each block having a V-shaped notch therein to receive the tips of said shuttles during shifting of said box and so disposed with respect to the guide to prevent the points of the tips from contacting said guide during and subsequent shifting of the shuttles.

8. The loom set forth in claim 7 wherein (a) each of said notches is of bent configuration to effect said longitudinal shifting of the shuttle during vertical shifting thereof. 9

9. The loom set forth in claim 7 wherein (a) the tips of each shuttle converge to a point, more or less, the relationship of the tips with respect to said notch being such to prevent said point of each shuttle from contacting said pair of blocks when received thereby during said shifting.

10. In a loom operating with a vertically shiftable shuttle box having an inner and outerend and operating to raise and lower shuttles to a shuttle picking station, the loom being provided with an inner shuttle box guide, and the shuttles with tips each having a conical surface and a relatively sharp point,

(a) an outer shuttle box guide for the outer end of the shuttle box and provided with vertically spaced projections each respectively having a vertically disposed recess above and below said picking station,

(b) a combined notched shuttle positioner guide and protector means for said shuttles in said recess above said station to engage the conical surfaces of the tips of the shuttles during upward shifting of the shuttle box, and

(c) a combined shuttle positioner guide and protector means for said shuttles in said recess below said station to engage the conical surfaces of the tips of the shuttles during downward shifting of the shuttle box,

(d) each means being made of a material to protect the shuttle tips against damage when engaged thereby, and each means acting to guidingly position the shutttles away from said outer shuttle box guide during shifting of the shuttle box to prevent engagement of the points of the shuttle with said means and the outer box guide.

11. In a shuttle box guide for a loom operating to vertically shift a shuttle box and pointed shuttles therein to and from a picking station, said shuttle box guide having a longitudinal plate integral with a vertical bar with upper and lower arms respectively above and below said plate and substantially in a plane as that occupied by said plate, said bar having a vertical groove to receive one end of the shuttle box,

(a) a transverse web on said upper arm and provided with a projection having a recess therein opening into and above said picking station,

(b) a second transverse web on said lower arm and formed with a projection having a recess therein opening into and below said picking station,

(c) and notched shuttle protector and guide means in each of said recesses to effect longitudinal guiding movement of the shuttles in a direction away from the box guide proper and to prevent engagement of the points of the shuttles with said means and the box guide proper to protect the points against damage during and subsequent shifting of the shuttle box.

12.. In a loom operating with a vertically shiftable shuttle box to raise and lower shuttles to a shuttle picking station during loom operation, the box having inner and outer ends, and the shuttles with tips each having a conical surface and a sharp point,

(a) an inner shuttle box guide for the inner end of the shuttle'box,

(b) an outer shuttle box guide for the outer end of the shuttle box and provided with vertically spaced projections each respectively having a recess above and below said picking station and a face from which each recess extends into its respective projection,

(c) a pair of sets of notched rotatable shuttle protector means, one set in each recess, engageable by the conical surfaces of said shuttles during shifting of said shuttle box, and

(d) means to rotatably support said protector means in a manner to effect movement of the shuttles away from said outer box guide to prevent contact of the points of the shuttle therewith and also with said means during shifting of the shuttle box.

13. The loom set forth in claim 12 wherein (a) the rotatable shuttle protector means are made of plastic and are provided with circumferential notches to receive the shuttle tips therein during shifting of the shuttle box.

14. The loom set forth in claim 12 wherein (a) each set consists of a pair of rolls each of which is provided with a V-shaped notch,

(b) a roll of each set being disposed over the other roll such that each notch of each roll is vertically aligned with the notches of the other rolls.

' References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 796,373 Van Werry Aug. 1, 1905 1,323,186- Herbert Nov. 25, 1919 1,868,128 Badia July 19, 1932 1,906,957 Gordon May 2, 1933 2,259,048 Stuer Oct. 14, 1941 2,306,286 Turner Dec. 22, 1942 2,839,091 Dodge June 17, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 50,140 France July 1, 1861 

1. IN A LOOM OPERATING WITH A VERTICALLY SHIFTABLE SHUTTLE BOX TO RAISE AND LOWER SHUTTLES THEREIN TO A SHUTTLE PICKING STATION DURING LOOM OPERATION, THE BOX BEING PROVIDED WITH INNER AND OUTER TONGUES, AND THE SHUTTLES WITH TIPS EACH HAVING A CONICAL SURFACE AND A RELATIVELY SHARP POINT, (A) AN INNER SHUTTLE BOX GUIDE FOR THE INNER TONGUE OF THE SHUTTLE BOX, (B) AN OUTER SHUTTLE BOX GUIDE FOR THE OUTER TONGUE OF THE SHUTTLE BOX AND PROVIDED WITH VERTICALLY SPACED PROJECTIONS EACH RESPECTIVELY HAVING A RECESS ABOVE AND BELOW SAID PICKING STATION, (C) NOTCHED PROTECTOR MEANS FOR AND ENGAGED BY EACH SURFACE IN A MANNER TO PREVENT ENGAGEMENT OF SAID POINT WITH SAID MEANS AND SAID OUTER GUIDE AND REMOVABLY ATTACHED TO SAID OUTER SHUTTLE BOX GUIDE IN SAID RECESS ABOVE SAID PICKING STATION, AND (D) SECOND NOTCHED PROTECTOR MEANS FOR AND ENGAGED BY EACH SURFACE ALSO IN A MANNER TO PREVENT ENGAGEMENT OF SAID POINT WITH SAID MEANS AND SAID OUTER GUIDE AND REMOVABLY ATTACHED TO SAID OUTER SHUTTLE BOX GUIDE IN SAID RECESS BELOW SAID PICKING STATION AND VERTICALLY SPACED FROM THE FIRST PROTECTOR MEANS, (E) EACH OF SAID MEANS BEING IDENTICAL AND INTERCHANGEABLE WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER. 